Is Voice Cloning Legal?

Is voice cloning legal? Cloning your own voice, or a voice you have written permission to use, is generally legal. Cloning someone else's voice without consent can break right-of-publicity laws, such as New York's and Tennessee's, FCC robocall rules and fraud laws. This is general information, not legal advice; consult a lawyer for your case.

Last updated: October 7, 2026. We checked every law and bill below on official government sites, and added recent cases and rulings from court-related records and reputable reporting.

This guide is for creators, marketers and businesses who use AI voices or want to clone one. It explains the main US and EU rules in plain words and ends with a practical checklist. Laws change and differ by place, so treat this as a starting point.

Key Takeaways

• Consent is the dividing line. Your own voice, or a voice with written permission, is generally fine. Someone else's voice without permission is where legal risk starts.
• AI voices in robocalls are covered by the TCPA. The FCC ruled on February 8, 2024 that AI-generated voices count as "artificial" voices under that law.
• Some states protect voice directly. Tennessee's ELVIS Act (2024) added "voice" to its likeness law, and New York's Civil Rights Law already names "voice".
• The NO FAKES Act is a bill, not a law. The 2026 version was reported in the Senate on June 24, 2026. It had not become law when we checked.
• The EU requires disclosure. Under Article 50 of the EU AI Act, people who publish deepfake audio must disclose that it is AI-generated.

On this page: Short answer · AI voiceovers · US federal rules · NO FAKES Act · State laws · EU · Celebrities · Copyright · 2026 cases · Checklist · FAQ

Is voice cloning legal? The short answer

It depends on whose voice it is, whether they agreed, and how you use the clone. This table gives the general picture in the US.

So is it OK to clone someone else's voice without permission because they never said what the AI would say? False. The issue is using their voice, not only the words. Get permission first.

Is AI voiceover illegal?

No, AI voiceover is not illegal. Using a voice from a tool's own library is generally legal, as long as you follow the tool's terms and don't mislead people. The legal risk starts when a voice copies a real person without consent, or when the audio is used for robocalls, fraud or impersonation.

Read your tool's terms on ownership and commercial use. Kveeky's Terms of Service, for example, say you own the outputs you generate and may use them for personal and commercial purposes. Every paid Kveeky plan includes commercial usage rights. The same terms prohibit impersonating any person and require that you have the right to use what you upload.

US federal rules on voice cloning

There is no single US federal law that covers all voice cloning yet. Several existing rules already apply.

• FCC and robocalls. On February 8, 2024, the FCC adopted a Declaratory Ruling that calls made with AI-generated voices are "artificial" under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The ruling took effect immediately (FCC, retrieved 2026-10-06).
• FTC and impersonation. The FTC finalized its Government and Business Impersonation Rule on February 15, 2024. It also proposed extending it to the impersonation of individuals, citing AI deepfakes and voice cloning (FTC, retrieved 2026-10-06).
• FTC and deceptive practices. In November 2023 the FTC said it is "prepared to use all of our tools" against voice cloning abuse, including the FTC Act (FTC, retrieved 2026-10-06).
• Copyright Office. In its July 31, 2024 report on digital replicas, the Office concluded "that a new law is needed" at the federal level (US Copyright Office, retrieved 2026-10-06).

What is the NO FAKES Act, and is it law?

The NO FAKES Act is a proposed federal law. Its stated aim is "to protect intellectual property rights in the voice and visual likeness of individuals".

Its recent history, from official bill records on govinfo:

1. S. 1367 (2025 version) was introduced on April 9, 2025 (govinfo).
2. S. 4591 (2026 version) was introduced on May 20, 2026 (govinfo).
3. S. 4591 was reported in the Senate on June 24, 2026 (govinfo), retrieved 2026-10-06.

A reported bill still needs a full Senate vote, a House vote and a signature to become law. As of October 6, 2026, we found no enacted version. Some older articles describe it as law already; that is not correct. Check congress.gov for its current status.

State laws that protect your voice

Right-of-publicity and privacy laws are mostly state laws, so protection depends on where you and your audience are.

• Tennessee: the ELVIS Act. Signed on March 21, 2024, it builds on the state's likeness law "by adding 'voice' to the realm it protects" (Tennessee Governor's Office, retrieved 2026-10-06).
• New York: Civil Rights Law §50. It bars using a living person's "name, portrait, picture, likeness, or voice" for advertising or trade without "written consent" (New York State Senate, retrieved 2026-10-06).

Other states have their own publicity, privacy and deepfake laws, and some protect people after death. Ask a lawyer which apply to your project.

Voice cloning rules in the EU

The EU AI Act sets transparency duties for synthetic audio in Article 50.

• Providers of AI systems that generate synthetic audio must ensure outputs are "marked in a machine-readable format and detectable as artificially generated or manipulated".
• Deployers, meaning people who use such a system to publish a deepfake, "shall disclose that the content has been artificially generated or manipulated". Lighter rules apply to clearly creative or satirical work.

Source: Article 50, EU AI Act Service Desk, retrieved 2026-10-06. The Act generally applies from 2 August 2026, but some dates have been amended, so check the Article 113 timeline for the rule that applies to you. Our explainer on AI voice generators and deepfake detection covers how marking and detection work in practice.

Can I legally clone a celebrity's voice?

Not for ads, sponsored content or monetized videos without their permission. A celebrity's voice is part of their commercial identity, and laws such as New York's and Tennessee's protect it. A "sound-alike" clone that is clearly meant to evoke them may carry similar risk, so ask a lawyer first.

If you need a famous voice, license it through the person or their representatives. Otherwise, choose a stock AI voice, or clone your own.

Can you copyright your voice?

Not usually. US copyright protects works such as recordings and scripts. A person's voice is mainly protected through right-of-publicity and privacy laws. That gap is one reason the Copyright Office called for a new federal law on digital replicas in 2024.

You can copyright your script and your own recordings. You can also control use of your voice through written contracts and licenses.

Recent AI voice cases and rulings (2026)

Courts and lawmakers are still drawing the lines, so recent cases show where the risk sits. Each item below is dated and sourced; none of it is legal advice.

Why did Matthew McConaughey trademark his voice?

To get a federal tool against AI soundalikes.

The USPTO registered a sound mark of the phrase "Alright, alright, alright" on October 21, 2025, owned by J.K. Livin Brands, Inc. (Reg. No. 7,995,951, USPTO TSDR, retrieved 2026-10-07). Variety reported on January 15, 2026 that 8 of his trademarks had been approved, including a porch video clip, as protection against AI misuse (Variety, retrieved 2026-10-07).

A trademark covers use in commerce that could confuse buyers, so it is strongest against soundalike ads and endorsements. For creators, the lesson is simple: an AI voice made to sound like a famous person in a promotion is high risk, with or without a trademark.

What is the David Greene v. Google lawsuit about?

Former NPR host David Greene sued Google in January 2026 in Santa Clara County Superior Court. He alleges the male voice in NotebookLM's Audio Overviews copies his cadence and intonation. Google said the voice is based on a paid professional actor and called the claims baseless (Inside Radio, February 17, 2026, retrieved 2026-10-07).

Google moved the case to federal court, but on July 23, 2026 the Northern District of California sent it back to state court. The judge held that Greene's claims target the imitated voice, not the copying of recordings, so copyright law doesn't block them (Loeb & Loeb, "Greene v. Google LLC", retrieved 2026-10-07).

We found no ruling on the merits as of October 7, 2026.

What happened in AI voice lawsuits in 2026?

The best-known voice actor case is on hold.

A federal judge in New York paused Lehrman and Sage v. Lovo after Lovo filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy (Bloomberg Government, May 29, 2026, retrieved 2026-10-07). The voice actors had accused Lovo of training on their voices without proper permission.

AI lawsuits overall keep rising: J.S. Held counted 42 new AI-related lawsuits in Q2 2026, up 35% on the quarter, with copyright and content-creator claims the largest group (J.S. Held via PR Newswire, July 15, 2026, retrieved 2026-10-07).

Until courts settle the rules, written consent and clear contracts remain your best protection.

How are AI voices regulated in video games?

Mostly through union contracts and consent. SAG-AFTRA members approved the 2025 Interactive Media Agreement in July 2025 by about 95%. It requires consent for a digital replica and a "reasonably specific description" of its use (Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, July 11, 2025, retrieved 2026-10-07).

A March 13, 2026 article from game-services firm Keywords Studios calls written consent the industry baseline. It also notes that enforcement still differs by region (Keywords Studios, retrieved 2026-10-07). Indie developers outside the union contract should still get written, specific consent before cloning any performer.

What are the ethics rules for synthetic voices in broadcasting?

Label them. On February 12, 2026, the Media Council of Kenya, the country's media regulator, trained journalists on ethical AI ahead of World Radio Day. It warned that failing to label synthetic content "risks normalising deception" (Media Council of Kenya, retrieved 2026-10-07).

The same rule works for podcasts and YouTube: if listeners could think a real person is speaking, say the voice is AI. It matches the EU disclosure duty described above.

How to use voice cloning legally: a checklist

This checklist lowers risk for creators and businesses. It does not replace legal advice.

1. Clone only voices you have rights to. Your own, or a voice with written consent. Our guide to free voice cloning options shows where to start with your own voice.
2. Make the consent specific. Name the uses (ads, courses, social), the languages, the time period and the pay.
3. Cover employees too. If you clone your CEO's or a staff member's voice, get a signed agreement that covers what happens if they leave.
4. Disclose AI voices where people could be misled. It's required for deepfakes in the EU and good practice everywhere.
5. Never use clones in robocalls or outreach calls without checking TCPA consent rules.
6. Read your tool's terms on ownership, commercial use and prohibited uses.
7. Keep records. Store consent forms, scripts and generation dates.
8. Ask a lawyer before any commercial project that uses a real person's voice.

For the ethical side of the same choices, read our guide to the ethics of AI voice cloning in video production. For the basics of cloning itself, start with our voice cloning guide.

For the practical side of misuse, see how to protect yourself from AI voice cloning scams.

Frequently asked questions

Is AI voiceover illegal?

No. Using AI voices from a licensed tool's library is generally legal if you follow the tool's terms and don't mislead people. The legal risk starts when a voice copies a real person without consent, or when the audio is used for robocalls, fraud or impersonation.

Is voice cloning legal to use for content creation?

Generally yes, if you clone your own voice or have written permission, and you follow your tool's terms. Disclose AI voices where viewers could be misled. Consult a lawyer for commercial projects using another person's voice.

Is it OK to clone someone's voice without permission if you write new words?

No. Using a person's voice without consent can break right-of-publicity laws even if the words are new. The legal issue is the use of their voice, not only what it says.

Is the NO FAKES Act law?

No, not as of October 6, 2026. The 2026 version, S. 4591, was reported in the Senate on June 24, 2026. It still needs votes in both chambers and a signature to become law.

Are voice changers legal?

Changing your own voice is generally legal. Using a voice changer or clone to impersonate someone, commit fraud or make AI-voiced robocalls without consent is not.

Can I use AI voiceovers commercially?

Usually, if your plan allows it. Every paid Kveeky plan includes commercial usage rights. Check each tool's terms, because some free plans don't allow commercial use.

Can my company clone our CEO's voice for videos?

Yes, with the CEO's written consent that covers the uses, the time period and what happens if they leave. Ask a lawyer to review the agreement before you publish.

How we checked this guide

This guide is written by Deepak Gupta for the Kveeky team. Disclosure: Kveeky makes an AI voice generator. We are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice. Consult a lawyer for your situation.

• US sources, all retrieved October 6, 2026: the FCC release on AI voices in robocalls, the FTC impersonation rule release, the FTC voice cloning post, the Copyright Office AI page, and NO FAKES Act records on govinfo.
• State sources: the Tennessee Governor's Office and the New York State Senate, retrieved October 6, 2026.
• EU source: the European Commission's AI Act Service Desk, retrieved October 6, 2026.
• 2026 cases, all retrieved October 7, 2026: the USPTO TSDR record for Reg. No. 7,995,951; Variety, "Matthew McConaughey Trademarks 'Alright, Alright, Alright!' and Other IP as Legal Protections Against 'AI Misuse'" (January 15, 2026); Inside Radio, "Google Faces Lawsuit From NPR's David Greene Alleging AI Voice Theft" (February 17, 2026); Loeb & Loeb, "Greene v. Google LLC" (July 2026); Bloomberg Government, "Voice Actors' Suit Against Lovo Paused Amid AI Firm's Bankruptcy" (May 29, 2026); J.S. Held, "Copyright Cases Dominate as Regulatory and Product Liability Challenges Emerge in the Q2 2026 J.S. Held AI Disputes Monitor" (July 15, 2026); Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, "New SAG-AFTRA 2025 Interactive Media Agreement" (July 11, 2025); Keywords Studios, "The Ethical Evolution of AI Voice in Gaming (2026)" (March 13, 2026); and the Media Council of Kenya, "MCK Strengthens Journalists' Skills on Ethical AI Use Ahead of World Radio Day" (February 12, 2026).
• Kveeky terms were read on kveeky.com on October 6, 2026. No Kveeky usage data is used in this guide.

Next step: before your next project, write a one-page consent form using the checklist above, then pick a plan with commercial usage rights on our pricing page.